Here are five tips I follow to better manage my time and balance college life and life at Insider
I’m a full-time college student who recently accepted my very first full-time job offer at Insider. Learning about and working in the field I love — journalism — has been a rewarding and educational experience. But on top of the rush of chasing down deadlines, I’ve also had to navigate online Zoom lectures, essays with expert interviews, and studying for midterms and finals.
Before joining Insider, I balanced a number of internships with college courses. I’ve seen a natural improvement in my time management skills, and adopted a few strategies that help me balance it all.
Victoria Giardina, Buying Guides fellow at Insider
Whether you’re in undergrad, grad school, or simply want to add some new tricks to your repertoire to free up time to learn a new skill online, here are five strategies I use to effectively manage my time.
1. Treat your organization tools like royalty
I am Type A in every sense of the word, and I can’t live without organization. If you’re on the school-work grind, treat all of the products and tools that keep you organized like royalty: with respect, hope (in that they’ll provide you with a sense of structure), and amazement.
Along with my planner, I also am a big proponent of the Post-It note. I stick them on just about everything — they’re an ingenious tool for reminders and mini-project lists. I also rely on my Google Calendar, where I schedule work-related meetings and elements of my daily routine (more on that, below).
Pro tip: Divide responsibilities using color. My go-to system is purple for work, red for school, and blue for collegiate club meetings. It helps me visualize where my focus will be during different parts of the day.
2. Tackle assignments ahead of time
For some, this tip may be the most dreadful piece of advice to hear, but I’ve never been much of a procrastinator. I totally understand the desire to delay the inevitable at certain moments but, for the most part, an unaccomplished task tends to loom over me until I finally cross it off. And, when balancing work and school, procrastination is a big no-no I’ve disciplined myself into avoiding.
If possible, get things done ahead of time. For instance, I tackled all of my homework assignments and labs for my science course this winter in two days because I wanted to solely focus on exams and onboarding with Insider at the beginning of January. It was worth it, and I felt like I could focus all of my energy and attention on getting up to speed at Insider without conflicting priorities.
Pro tip: Take 10-minute breaks often, and reward yourself with a sweet treat, quick walk, or stretching break after your task is completed for an added incentive.
3. Find a morning routine you enjoy, and stick to it
Morning routines make anything possible. But a good morning routine makes anything achievable. Each morning, I drink a full glass of water before my morning coffee (hydrate before caffeinating), do a 30-minute yoga stretch, read a few pages of an encouraging book, and squeeze in a few minutes of a podcast while settling into school or work and checking my inbox. Some people ask me, “Why do you wake up so early if you’re working from home?” It’s because I treasure my mornings, and you should too.
In order to achieve balance, waking up early (5:00 a.m., to be exact), gives me time for things that bring me joy (like reading and stretching).
Pro tip: Schedule elements of your morning routine in advance. I have links to different yoga stretches and workouts set for each day, a simple way to switch up a cemented routine to avoid burnout.
4. Stay connected to colleagues and loved ones
Forming meaningful connections is more important than ever in remote times. Whether it’s a 15-minute Google Hangout to meet a colleague on a different team, a 30-minute Zoom with a professor to discuss an academic idea, or a 3-hour conversation with your best friend, make the time. Even if you’re all booked, send a quick, ‘Hey, miss you! How have you been?’ text.
Networking calls are important, but I often use them as an opportunity to understand someone’s unique position in a company. I’m in awe of the niche areas in which Business Insider reporters and editors hold positions (especially influencer marketing, one of my strong interests), so it’s almost second nature to reach out and discover something new (oh, and drink coffee: another strong interest).
Pro tip: Ask whoever it is you’re talking to about their goals, even if you’re working in vastly different fields, to help find common ground.
5. Make academic and professional goals, with a game plan to accomplish them
This brings me to my next point: goals are great, but steps to achieve them are just as important. A game plan helps you manifest your vision and bring it to fruition. I make mental notes of how far in advance I would like to complete a school assignment or another tangible goal like how many buying guides I would like to update in a month.
Pro tip: Find an accountability buddy, whether that’s your manager at work or a long-distance friend who’s willing to help keep you on track!